Long Island's Haunted Restaurants and Bars

It's common knowledge to many Long Islander's that Katie's Bar in Smithtown is haunted. It's been investigated on TV's "Paranormal State," and there has been a lot of hype surrounding the place over the past few years. It's not the only popular eatery that has a ghost or two, however. Paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto and I have had the opportunity of investigating several haunted Long Island establishments. Good food and a ghost! Who could ask for more?

As I've mentioned in past blogs, one of the most "active" restaurants for ghostly activity is the Country House Restaurant in Stony Brook, which continues to be haunted by the ghost of Annette Williamson. Annette was brutally murdered in the house back in the days of the Revolutionary War. Orbs, EVP's and light flashes continuously abound and have been witnessed by many patrons as well as staff. Several people, including the restaurant's owner Bob Williamson, have actually seen the apparition of Annette. For reasons unknown, Annette refuses to move on.

DEK's American Restaurant in Rocky Point has a an assortment of mischievous ghosts including one who will mess up previously set tables. By the bar area, shadowy figures can be seen swiftly moving around. There was a bartender who worked there for years who never believed in ghosts until he had his own encounter with the shadow person. From that point on he refused to be in the building alone. The building itself has a long and interesting history and is Rocky Point's oldest commercial building. It served as an inn for many years, and there are also rumors that it once was a brothel. Who knows what kind of energy could be left behind there?

On a smaller scale, the 1930's Sayville Modern Diner, located on Main Street in Sayville, realized they had a ghost or two when the chef reported that things were falling off the shelves in the kitchen. On one occasion when he opened up the diner one morning, the chef discovered a multitude of items lying about on the kitchen floor. He had been the last one to leave the night before. Joe Giaquinto has also received numerous EVP's (electronic voice phenomena) there over the years.

Heading to the North Fork, the Jamesport Manor Inn in Jamesport also has a ghost. The present building was rebuilt exactly as it was after a mysterious fire had burned it to the ground in October of 2005. The history of the place, which dates back to the 1750's, includes tragedies, death and scandals. Countless people have claimed to see the ghost of a young woman in a second floor window. It possibly could be the daughter of one of the original owners who died there tragically.

Moving on to bars, Del's Union Square Bar in Holbrook has had a plethora of ghostly activity. Apparitions, glasses flying off the bar, a TV set that turns off by itself, a glass exploding on its own, doors opening and closing...the list is endless. The building was built in the mid-1900's. It is unknown who could be haunting this establishment.

Lastly, in Nassau County, the beautiful Glen Cove Mansion in Glen Cove is said to be haunted by the ghost of its previous owner, Mrs. Pratt who died in the house she loved in 1965. The Georgian Revival building was built in 1910 and is presently a hotel and conference center. Although there has been ghostly activity throughout the building, the most haunted area seems to be upstairs in the bar. Countless employees have seen the apparition of Mrs. Pratt, and many have claimed to have felt her presence. During our investigations there, Joe and I photographed many orbs, and we received EVP's as well. Did Mrs. Pratt love her home enough to stay there permanently in spirit?

I'm sure there must be more haunted restaurants and bars on Long Island that I haven't heard of or investigated. So if you have a story a two you'd like to share, please let me know. All the above stories with the complete histories can be read in my Ghosts of Long Island books.

Past Lives and Reincarnation

Do you believe in past lives?

 The idea of past lives and reincarnation is not only a hot topic, but one filled with controversy as well. I find it's a 50/50 split when it comes to people's opinions on the matter.  

I first learned about reincarnation back in the 1980's when Shirley MacLaine came out with her book, Out on a Limb. It was a topic that fascinated me, so I decided to pursue it further and started reading some books by Edgar Cayce. Despite being a Catholic (Catholics as a whole don't really believe in reincarnation), I happen to think there is some truth to the theory. 

How can we possibly accomplish everything we're supposed to in one lifetime? There are lessons needed to be learned, relationships that must be formed, work that needs to be done. And I don't mean housework or our careers. I'm talking about spiritual work...the kind of work that brings us closer to God and makes us better people during our lifetimes. I believe it takes multiple lifetimes to achieve this. Many lifetimes, but one soul. God creates only one of us. Our physical bodies are kind of like cars. When it gets old and worn out, we get a new one. 

How else can certain things be explained, such as why do babies die? Why does a young person die tragically in an accident? Is that all their life was supposed to be? I don't think so. I believe their lives continue in Heaven, and that eventually, when the time is right, they come back. We usually come back with other family members and even friends who've we shared other lifetimes with. 

How can a child protégé be explained? How can you explain meeting someone for the first time, yet you feel you've known them your whole life? How can you explain being familiar with a place you've never been to? So many questions, so much to consider. 

Last August I decided to find out for myself, and I met with licensed psychotherapist and past-life regression therapist Richard Scheinberg. Richard has a very successful practice in East Islip called Sunrise Counseling Center. Richard happens to be a wonderful author as well, and I've known him for a number of years. Richard trained under Brian Weiss, who is world renowned when it comes to reincarnation and past lives. So I knew I was in good hands working with Richard.  

I was a bit apprehensive and wasn't sure if the process would work for me, despite my believing in it. I spent a lot of time talking with Richard ahead of time. He explained the whole process and he relieved my fears. I had agreed to work with him on creating a short video which would include excerpts from my session, along with my journey to discovering more about my past life. We spent months working with video reporter Chris Collora, who did a wonderful job in filming and putting it all together. The video is really quite remarkable. If you'd like to view it, go to this link: http://www.richardcscheinberg.com/video/?vid=102 

I'm not trying to convince anyone to become a believer in past lives. I'm simply presenting information to you, so go easy on your comments. I know my blogs have caused some controversy in the past. I'm simply giving you some food for thought...something to contemplate. If you're interested in having your own past life regression session, you can visit Richard Scheinberg's website at www.richardcscheinberg.com. Richard was also a recent guest on my blogtalk radio show, "The Kerriann and Joe Show - Spirit Connection." For your free download go to: www.blogtalkradio.com/kerriannandjoeshow/2012/07/13/past-life-regression--therapist-author-richard-scheinberg 

Watch the video, listen to the radio show and check out Richard's books. See if you then become a believer in past lives.

Top Ten Most Haunted Towns on Long Island

There are all kinds of lists out there which name the top ten most haunted cities in the United States. These include Savannah, Georgia; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Salem, Massachusetts; New Orleans; San Antonio, Texas; St. Augustine, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; Chicago; San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Why is Long Island, New York not on this list? 

After having investigated more than sixty haunted locales on Long Island, I truly believe Long Island is worthy of at least being included on the top ten list of most haunted places.

We have a rich and intriguing history here on Long Island which includes a prominent Native American past and the American Revolutionary War, amongst other things. How many people on Long Island, let alone in the country, know about the Indian massacres which occurred here, or the famous Battle of Long Island and the Culper Spy Ring? The Battle of Long Island was the first official battle following the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Culper Spy Ring was a group of ordinary people who got together and changed history because of the information they were able to provide to General George Washington regarding the British and their plans for attack. With this much history, there is bound to be spirits and energy which remain.  

Much of our history has also been preserved on Long Island's North Shore, where Gold Coast Mansions are still scattered along the shoreline, or on the east end where the North and South Forks are a host to numerous historic homes and buildings. The fact of the matter remains that everywhere we go is haunted. Spirits are with us everywhere and all the time. They're not necessarily ghosts. There is a difference. Ghosts are usually place centered, where spirits come and go and may help us on our own journey. They may even be people we loved and knew. In either case, communication with the afterlife abounds on Long Island. Researching, investigation, and writing Ghosts of Long Island has convinced me of that, so of course I'd like to give credit where credit is due. Long Island is one of the most haunted places in the United States. 

If I had to compile my own list of the top ten most haunted towns on Long Island, here's what I'd come up with. At number one, I'd have to say it's Stony Brook which features such haunted locales as The Country House Restaurant, the old Grist Mill and painter William Sydney Mount's house.  Coming in at second and third would be the old whaling town of Cold Spring Harbor, and St. James with its haunted General Store, old schoolhouse and Deepwell's Mansion. From there the list includes Strong's Neck, Huntington, Montauk, Glen Cove, Oyster Bay, Southampton and Cutchogue. Chapter after chapter in both my ghost books mention these extraordinary places where paranormal activity has taken place.   

Do you live or know of another haunted town on Long Island that you think could make this list? If so, tell us about your experience.

Journey Through a Totem Animal Labyrinth

A few weeks ago I took part in a very unique and beautiful spiritual experience. I walked through seven colorfully lit labyrinths at the Melville home of Christine Guardiano. Christine is an author, spiritual teacher, Reiki healer and channeler, and she's also a labyrinth builder. For over ten years, Christine has been creating indoor and outdoor labyrinths by using Christmas lights, black lights, string and crepe paper. The labyrinths measure between thirty-five and seventy-two feet in diameter. She enhances them with candles, music, pyramids, canopies, fire pits and altars. I have to say, it is a spectacular sight!  

Friend and paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto has been telling me for years that I had to attend, and I'm so glad I finally did. It gave me a chance to relax, to meditate and to connect with my animal spirit guide totems. We all have spirit guides and angels to help us along life's journey, and animal totems are believed to hold the power and knowledge that we can use to become one with nature. Animal totems have always been part of Native American culture. It is said that animal totems "awaken the natural balance with nature that you already possess." If you honor your animal totems, you can become not only healthier, but happier physically, spiritually and emotionally. 

So how does this all work? The power of labyrinths have been used by Spiritualists for centuries, and for more than 4,000 years labyrinths have been used in a spiritual manner. According to Christine's research, "Walking a labyrinth can create a heightened awareness within the human condition and aid in psychological and spiritual growth. Even those who say they are not spiritual are enlightened by walking the path." 

Many people confuse labyrinths with mazes. They are different. A labyrinth has one, unicursal path, and you enter and exit from the same place. A maze, on the other hand, has blind alleys, twists and turns and dead ends. You can't make a wrong turn in a labyrinth like you could in a maze, so it makes for a more relaxing experience. Perfect for me. I'm certainly not a big fan of Fall harvest corn mazes! The labyrinth...that I could handle.  

When I first arrived at Christine's I was amazed at the amount of people who were attending. She has definitely developed a following over the years. I was there with my husband and a friend, and Christine quickly came over to greet us. After handing out paperwork explaining labyrinths and animal totems, she lead us to a warm fire pit in a front section of her yard, which was tucked away by some beautiful landscaping. We familiarized ourselves with the handouts and spent a few moments gazing into the fire and meditating. After about ten minutes, we walked down a candlelit path towards the backyard where Christine told us we'd find a gazebo. One person was allowed in the gazebo at a time. In its center was a table and chair. I took a seat, and on top of the table was a very large tray with hundreds of plain white cards faced down. The tray was surrounded by votive candles and the gazebo was decorated with miniature lights. I was told to gently mix the cards up, and when I was ready, I was to pick seven cards out of the pile. On the other side of the card, the name of an animal or mystical creature appeared. The handout we were given contained pages where we were to write the name of the animal we chose. When all seven were written down, it was time for me to make my journey past a tranquil pond to where the labyrinths were set up.  

It was simply exquisite to see the labyrinth's against the dark night sky.  Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and white lit labyrinths were spread across Christine's expansive backyard. Each labyrinth coincided with a Chakra, which are the seven centers of spiritual power in the human body. Each Chakra represents something. For instance, the first Chakra, which is located at the base of the spine, gives strength to the physical body. It controls fear and helps to keep us grounded. As I meditated on that Chakra, I entered the first labyrinth...red. In the center was a chair and a small table containing a lantern. I made my way toward it, and sat down. I then concentrated on the first animal totem I picked up, which was a cheetah. The packets contained different questions and affirmations you could read when connecting with your totem. It was very peaceful. 

I sat for two to three minutes and then slowly walked back through the labyrinth and the next person entered. Everyone continued on in this fashion until all the labyrinths were completed. While you waited to go into the next labyrinth you could mediate and listen for information from your animal totems. I used some techniques I've learned from reputable mediums and applied my clairsentience, or my ability to "sense" information. Before long, I found myself writing things down. 

Once all the participants were through the seven labyrinths, Christine lead everyone in a silent group walk through each one again. At first, I wasn't too sure about this, but it turned out to be a remarkable experience. You could feel everyone's energy working together because we were all connected by holding hands. It was silent, except for the beautiful New Age music playing softly in the backyard. When the journey was complete, we formed a large circle where Christine lead us in a guided meditation. I couldn't believe how powerful it all was, and how wonderful I felt afterwards.  

No photographs were allowed to be taken until after the event, at which time we were encouraged to try to capture orb photos. Many of us did pick them up. 

It wasn't until a day or two later when I was at home doing research on the totems I had chosen, that I came to realize how accurate the totems really were. Not only did they match my personality and things I was going through, but much of what I had written down at each of the labyrinths matched what I had researched as well. I believe it's true that the totem chooses you!  

For more information on Christine's labyrinths, you can go to the Internet and check out the archives on my blogtalk radio show, "The Kerriann and Joe Show - Spirit Connection" where you can hear an interview we did with Christine last year.   

Planning a Vacation? Why not Take a Haunted Trip to Montauk?

Montauk , Long Island has always been a very special place for me. I spent many a summer out there as a child, and I still go back now with my own family. It's just one of those magical, mystical, and beautiful places. It's also known to be...well...haunted.

All sorts of stories abound in Montauk, from haunted resorts to haunted lighthouses; from Big Foot to time travel and even more recently the alleged "Montauk Monster" which washed ashore in the summer of 2008. What many people don't realize however, is that it's also a very historical and spiritual place, which could also be the reason for a variety of paranormal activity which has taken place there.

Archeological excavations have shown that Montauk was inhabited by Native American Indians more than 3,000 years before any white man set foot in North America. The tribe called the land Montauket, meaning “hilly country.” The tribe itself was known as the Montauks, and the Indians were called the Montauketts. They were a peaceful tribe who fished the waters and farmed the land. By 1620, Chief Wyandanch had become known as the greatest chief in Montauk history. Unfortunately, his friendship with Lion Gardiner, and his tribe’s involvement with the British settlers would ultimately cost the Montauk tribe their land in years to come.

The Montauketts lived in peace with the white men, but they were almost constantly at war with more aggressive tribes from New England, the Pequots and the Narragansetts. In 1653, the Narragansetts once again set foot in Montauk, waging a surprise attack on the Montauketts. The fierce warriors nearly destroyed the Montauk Indians in one of the worst attacks ever made on the tribe. The ambush took place at the foot of the present-day Montauk Manor. Because of the terrible losses inflicted on the Montauketts, the low-lying land just east of Fort Hill next to Signal Hill became known as “Massacre Valley.”

The land on which the Montauk Manor stands is therefore very much connected with the Montaukett Indians. There were camps, bloodshed and burials there. Next door to the Manor is Fort Hill Cemetery, which was established by East Hampton Town during the 1980’s. It was named Fort Hill after the fort the Indians once had there. There are many Indians buried in this area, although the graves are not marked. The entire area was disrupted during the Manor’s construction.

It was Carl Fisher’s dream in the summer of 1925 to create the “most fabulous summer resort ever imagined in the western world"...a magnificent English Tudor-style “castle on the hill." Fisher was a multimillionaire industrialist who was responsible for the development of Miami Beach, Florida. He envisioned Montauk as having a beach club, a yacht club, polo fields, a golf course, a ranch and a health spa. His centerpiece would be the Montauk Manor, a 200-room luxury resort hotel. In 1927, part of Fisher’s dream became a reality when the Manor was officially opened. The rich and famous of the day flooded its grand ballrooms, played croquet on the rolling front lawn, drank tea on the veranda overlooking the Manor’s 10,000 acres, and ate in the finest of restaurants, which served international cuisine.

Did anyone at that time know the events that had once occurred there? Did they know about the amazing history that lay beneath the massive structure … Indians, wars, plagues and graves?

The Montauketts weren’t the only ones who died on the land. During the late 1890’s many of Teddy Roosevelt’s soldiers came down with yellow fever. It spread among the troops so quickly that Roosevelt decided to lead them up to the sacred site on the hill. The hill was steep, and the soldiers struggled in their weakened conditions to climb it. It is said that over 300 men died en route. Some died in a detention hospital that was set up near the present Manor. The soldiers were temporarily buried above Indian remains, both at Fort Hill and nearby at Lake Montauk. Eventually, most of their bodies were exhumed and sent home. Neither of the makeshift cemeteries were marked.

Throughout the years, many people visiting the Manor have claimed to see an Indian chief in full headdress wandering the floors. Some guests were so alarmed they had reported what they saw to the front desk. Strange banging sounds have been heard coming from a fourth floor room when no one was there, and another story, apparently more recent, mentioned a cleaning lady. The woman was cleaning the men’s sauna downstairs when she heard the door slam. That noise was followed by a baby’s cry. Terrified, she ran to the management and said she would never work there alone again.

I've gotten a number of orb photos at the Manor, and on one very foggy and quiet night I heard Indian drumbeats on the property when no one was around. Next door at Fort Hill Cemetery, a nine-year-old girl who lived next door claimed to have seen an American Indian in full headdress “perched on top of the hill” two years after the new cemetery was established in the 1980’s. Before she could show anyone, the man was gone.

In recent years, ghostly phenomenon has begun to slow down at the Manor. Perhaps the Indian chief has passed on. You could always check out the Montauk Lighthouse then, which is also rumored to be haunted. I have yet to research and investigate the lighthouse, or you can take a hike in the old Camp Hero which is loaded with all kinds of stories. I don't know who or what you'll run into there.

Even if you're not into ghosts, Montauk remains for many, one of the best places to vacation on Long Island, whether you're staying at the Montauk Manor or in one of the motels in town. Do take a trip up to Fort Hill Cemetery though. It is a beautiful and spiritual place, and offers one of the most spectacular views of Montauk.

Excerpts from this blog have been taken from my book Ghosts of Long Island; Stories of the Paranormal. If you're interested in reading more about the history and haunted phenomenon in Montauk, check out the chapter entitled, "The Spirit of an Indian Chief at Montauk Manor."

Can Anyone Learn to be a Medium?

If it's true we use only ten percent of our brain, what is the other 90 percent used for? I've come to realize that there is a portion of our brain that everyone can use to communicate with spirits on the other side. How do I know this? I actually was able to give a very basic reading to three different people, two of whom I didn't know, at a recent workshop with world renowned Scottish Medium Bill Coller.

Bill Coller lives in Switzerland and comes to the United States at least twice a year. He gives his mediumship workshops all over the world, and he's probably one of the best technical mediums there is. For the past three years I've attended his four hour workshops. Every single time, I leave the workshop completely and utterly amazed.

I don't consider myself a medium, and I don't have any talents or gifts in this area. I started taking the workshops to further my knowledge on mediumship for when I lecture, write and do my radio shows. Twenty to thirty people, mostly mediums starting out, attend these workshops, and then there was me. The first year I felt a bit out of place, working with strangers and trying to connect with their dead grandparents. I knew there would be absolutely no way I could do such a thing. We were asked to get five points of evidence to prove to the person we were reading for. I had a difficult time, to say the least, but then Bill came over and we took it step by step. Before long, I brought in the woman's grandmother, and she knew without a doubt that it was her. We both sat there shocked. She too, was able to read for me, and she was not a medium either. She brought it my father. It was truly incredible.

So in the beginning of March, I attended my third workshop and felt at little more at ease. It was called "Understanding Your Clairaudience, Clairvoyance and Clairsentience." I know a thing or two about these "tools" as Bill calls them, because I've studied them and I've written about them in my blogs and books. I work with paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto who is a clairaudient medium (able to hear spirits), and I started developing some clairsentience (knowing/feeling the presence of spirits) while writing the Ghosts of Long Island books. Clairvoyance is the ability to "see spirits."

Over the course of four hours, Bill explained all three "clairs" in detail, breaking it down so we would understand how each means of communication actually works. For the hands-on portion of the workshop, we had to work with a partner and only work on one form of communication. My first partner happened to be a very seasoned medium who Joe and I have had on our blogtalk radio show. I jokingly told her that she obviously had an advantage over me, a non-medium. She laughed and said she believed I could do it. Don't say, "I can't," she said. We'd take it one step at a time.

For this exercise we had to use clairsentience only, so I had to "feel" or "know" who was coming through. We sat holding hands to keep the energy flowing. My eyes were closed and all I could see and feel in my head was darkness...nothingness. Sharon told me to keep paying close attention. Within a few minutes I started "sensing" the presence of her grandmother. Was this for real though? Couldn't I be just guessing or imagining it? I certainly had my doubts. I started sensing other things before long, her grandmother's house in the country, a winding pathway, a swing. I told her about the relationship she had with her grandmother, and how she had a peaceful death from old age. The things I was able to describe to Sharon were accurate, and she understood it to be her grandmother. She wasn't surprised, because this particular grandmother she was very close to. She often comes to Sharon in spirit and helps her on her journey.

The next exercise was dealing with clairvoyance. I worked with gentleman I didn't know. Now I had to try to "see" him in my head, in spirit. It started out the same way, holding hands and trying to get the energy flowing. Just like before, all I saw was blackness. I waited. All of a sudden I saw an image of a man, with black hair and a flannel shirt. He was in his forties or fifties and he was kicking up his heels and dancing. I told the man I was reading for what I was seeing, and then to my surprise I blurted out, "It's your uncle." The man said that was correct. I found out he was kicking up his heels because he always wore cowboy boots. Because I saw him dancing, I kept telling my partner he must have liked to dance. He was unsure when I mentioned it. At that point, Bill Coller happened to come over, and he was able to see the uncle as well. He also saw him dancing. He said it was great that I picked up on that, but I was misinterpreting what he was doing. Bill then asked my partner, "Was your uncle unable to walk the last year of his life?" My partner said that was correct. Bill then told us he was dancing and kicking up his heals, because he wanted his nephew to know that he was fine now. He could walk and dance again, and he no longer had pain. It all made sense now, and I was in awe.

For the last exercise, I worked with Joe Giaquinto, who I know well of course, but I gave it a shot. We were to work clairaudiently now. Within a few minutes I picked up his grandmother on his mother's side, and even though I was hearing my own voice in my head (which is how Bill said we would hear the spirits) I knew it was Joe's grandmother, and she gave me a very specific message for him. It was unbelievable.

I don't consider myself a medium, but through guidance and training, I was able to give a very basic reading to three different people. I was tapping into an unused part of my brain. For me, the workshop was more of a learning experience. I don't plan on reading for people as a living, but it's nice to know that if I pay attention, communication is possible.

Most mediums are born with the gift and then develop it later in life, but each of us has the capacity to pick up on the spirits every now and then. Even the best of mediums need proper training in how to control their mediumship, and how to validate the information they are receiving through the five points of evidence.

If you'd like to see a short video of Bill Coller's workshop, here is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPhWuTjzPuM. I'm interviewed by reporter Chris Collora, and you can also see me working with my three partners.

Do you think you are capable of communicating with spirits? It's never too late to try.

A Winter Retreat in the Haunted Berkshires

Every winter for the past twenty years my husband and I have left the rat-race of Long Island behind, and have taken a long weekend in Lenox, Massachusetts. Everyone asks me if we go there to ski, and I have to say that we don't. Although the skiing in the area is great, from what I've heard, we go for the peace and tranquility that the picturesque Berkshires have to offer. Lenox is the home to artists, musicians and the literary set. In fact, Brook Farm Inn on Hawthorne Street where we have been staying all these years, is a beautiful Victorian inn surrounded by poetry, writers and books...the ideal place for me.

I spend my time reading, or going antique shopping with my husband. We visit the Yankee Candle shop, the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Baldwin Extracts (where Martha Stewart and I get our vanilla) and we eat the best Cheddar Ale Soup I've ever tasted at the Barrington Brewery. There are endless things to do in the Berkshires at any time of the year, and it's quite historical as well.

There is of course, one other thing that intrigues me about the area...it's haunted. I've never encountered a ghost at Brook Farm, but I have dragged my poor husband around on ghostly adventures to see what we could find elsewhere.

Perhaps the most well known "haunted" locale is the old Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge. Built circa 1773 for Anna and Silas Bingham, it began as a general store and then evolved into a tavern, inn and stagecoach stop. It was a popular spot for travelers back in the 1800's and still remains so today. Ghostly rumors abound at the old inn which has seen the likes of many paranormal investigators and mediums. The fourth floor, in particular, has been said to have the most activity. Both cleaning staff and guests have claimed to see a "ghostly young girl carrying flowers" and "a man in a top hat." It has been said that guests have awoken to the feeling of someone standing over them at the foot of the bed. Cold spots, unexplained knocks, and electrical disturbances have all been reported. Room 301 is also known to be a haunted hot spot.

Traveling back to Lenox, the beautiful Ventfort Hall is open to the public for tours. They have all sorts of interesting events there, including on occasion, ghost hunts! You may remember this magnificent Jacobean Revival Mansion when it appeared in the 1999 film The Cider House Rules. It was originally built as a summer home for George and Sarah Morgan, sister of J. Pierpont Morgan, in 1891, and is a wonderful example of the Gilded Age in Lenox. George and Sarah lived there until their deaths, at which time it was rented out for a number of years. By 1945, the house had a series of owners and was eventually used as a dormitory for the nearby Tanglewood students. It was then used as a summer camp and hotel amongst other things. In the mid-1980's the property was sold to a nursing home developer who wanted to demolish the building. A local preservation group formed to help save the historic structure. The Ventfort Hall Association was formed in 1994, and by 1997, enough money was raised from private donations and loans, that the Association was able to purchase Ventfort Hall.

It has been investigated numerous times by the prestigious Chicopee Paranormal Investigators (CPI) who have seen and photographed apparitions and orbs. They have witnessed doors opening by themselves, and have recorded countless EVP's (Electronic Voice Phenomenon). There is no end to the ghostly activity at Ventfort Hall.

Then there is my personal favorite, Edith Wharton's house, The Mount, which can also be found in Lenox. Perhaps it is the fact that Edith was a writer which has drawn me to this location. Despite the fact that she was deathly afraid of ghosts, she spent a considerable amount of time writing about them. Her home in Lenox was built in 1902 as a writer's retreat, but her tumultuous marriage lead the Whartons to sell it by 1911. By 1942, The Mount became part of the Foxhollow School for Girls. The residents claimed to have heard unexplained noises as well as cold spots and other unusual sensations. When the school closed in 1976, Shakespeare & Company used The Mount for both their theater productions and as a dormitory. Ghostly apparitions of spirits in period clothing were reported, along with shadowy figures and continuous strange noises including footsteps, whispers and slamming doors.

The ghostly activity must still be occurring, because The Mount, like Ventfort Hall, offers ghost tours at certain times of the years.

It was just after dark when my husband and I drove up to the deserted home of Edith Wharton. He wasn't thrilled by the idea, by any means, but I was intent on taking photographs to see what I would get. I'm accustomed to photographing orbs, but the ones I captured that night at The Mount, were just incredible. Taken from the car window, it was as if the spirits were right there, coming into the car. They were simply spectacular.

So if you're looking for a little rest and relaxation, and hoping to come across a ghost or two, historic Lenox and the Berkshires should most definitely be your destination.